Do you let your kids browse the Internet? I do, and I'm sure a lot of you do too. Some of you watch them every minute when they're online and some of you let them browse alone as long as they keep the door open.
The Internet can be a wonderful place for kids. There are many Web sites that cater especially to them. They can learn reading, math, science, history and just about anything they need. There are Web sites for their favorite cartoons too.
There are also many sites that are bad for them to view. There are ads that pop-up when they are browsing that you really don't want them to see. If they are old enough to use a search engine then they have access to adult sites and sites that let them buy illegal things and sites that will teach them things they really shouldn't know about.
When they reach the pre-teen years they start to succumb to peer pressure. If they have a friend over and the friend wants to play games on the computer you may need to keep a special eye out. Even if your child knows better or wouldn't think of searching for such things on their own, they may do it when their friends are around.
Safe kids sites
Just because a site is kid safe doesn't mean that your child will not be able to get to grown-up sites from there. It also doesn't mean that it's what all parents consider "kid safe" but that most do. For example, The Cartoon Network has games, and other stuff, that might seem too violent for some children. Warner Bros' site has links on it to movie sites that you might not want your children to see. Many kid freindly sites have shopping on them which you might not want your child to be able to access either.
There are also many personal Web sites on the Net that are kid friendly. Here are just a few:
- 4 to 40 - Stories, poems, folklore, legends. Kids can learn about dances of India, jokes, literature, and more.
- Heather's Homeschooling Page - There are links to art, music, language, math, P.E., science and social Studies for those of you who want to try teaching your children at home.
- Kids Pages-Resources for Parents and Teachers - There are links here to all sorts of sites that can help your child find things to do online and offline. There are also links to sites that will help them to learn.
- Mrs. Seagraves' QUEST Class and Thematic Units - Fun with science. Create a pond online, see the environmental center, meet grandforest tree and much more. Even find out how they created the Web site.
- School Days - Plan your day with this online curriculum. Math, science, English, P.E., and more to round out your child's learning.
- Slacker Central - Homework help, book summaries and all sorts of other things for students and teachers alike, even foreign language lessons.
- Teen Information Center - This site deals with teen issues including friendships, depression, abstainance, hero's, laws and more.
- More Kid Safe Sites
